Monday
*****************
Our reality is so complex
and the result of so many blunders,
miscalculations and contradictions that
it is impossible to make a general statement
without sounding like a simpleton.
To an Armenian who says:
"Armenians are tolerant," I ask:
"How tolerant are you towards anyone
who says Armenians are intolerant?"
To an Armenian who says
"Armenians are smart," I ask:
"How smart can an Armenian be who says he is
tolerant only of those who are
in complete agreement with him?"
*
Criticize the U.S. and Israel all you want --
nothing wrong in that.
Everyone does it, including Americans and Jews.
But there is everything wrong in recycling
Soviet-style anti-Americanism
and Nazi-style anti-Semitism.
This type of anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism,
in addition to being anachronistic,
it is politically bankrupt, morally reprehensible,
and ultimately self-defeating.
*
"You are telling us the emperor has not clothes!"
No, i am also saying, the emperor is not an emperor
but an impostor who has been unmasked again and again
but for reasons beyond human comprehension
continues to enjoy the loyalty of a small
and non-representative fraction of the people.
*
Nothing can be more optimistic and naive
than to rely on the common sense and enlightened self-interest
of your fellow men.
*
To go down into the gutter with your adversary
is almost to agree with him -- if not with his words
than with his way of life.

To an Armenian who says: "Armenians are tolerant," I ask: "How tolerant are you towards anyone who says Armenians are intolerant?" To an Armenian who says "Armenians are smart," I ask: "How smart can an Armenian be who says he is tolerant only of those who are in complete agreement with him?"

Observant statement, but Man seems to be like this all over. I argue with other brothers all the time over issues and I feel like your quote. Nice words, here and in the past, i've been trying to catch up on your body of work, it's pretty extensive.

the obvious context in which the word tolerance is used here is tolerance of different ideas and not tolerance of evil or criminal conduct. There are laws that handle that type of aberration. / ara baliozian